Life-saving device for submarine vessels



Sept. 13, 1927. 1,642,127v

W. ORLOWSKY LIFE SAVING DEVICE FOR SUBMARINE VESSELS Filed Oct; 28, 1926 .2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

Se t. 192

p 7 w. ORLOWSKY LIFE SAVING DEVICE FOR SUBMARINE VESSELS Filed Oct. 28, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VEN TOR.

Patented Sept. 13, 1927.

WASSYL ORLOWSKY, OF HAIBANA, CUBA.

LIFE-SAVING DEVIGIE FOR SUBMARINE VESSELS.

Application filed October 28, 1926. Serial No. 145,898.

body of the vessel, while submerged, is possible for the entire crew.

In the present types of submarine vessels, when some part is damaged, so that it cannot rise to the surface, the crew perishes. The

existing life saving implements present a only a few of t cumstances demand, taking up difliculty in that they interfere with the 'offensive power of the submarine, they take up too much space and in the event of the submarine beinlg1 damaged and unable to use,

e crew can escape.

The present invention enables the entire crew of the submarine vessel to leave and enter the vessel while the submarine is submerged, either singly or together, as the cirno valuable space in the submarine, nor in]uring the aggresive power, but on the contrary increasing it. The entrance or exit even for the entire crew is not diflicult even if it is necessary to repeat this operation several times.

ings illustrative of With these and other objects in view the invention has certain novel features of con-- struction as hereinafter shown and specifically pointed out in the claim and the drawthe embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 1. is a central longitudinal section of the middle part of the submarine vessel showing the compartments and passage throughwhich the operators leave and enter theohull of the vessel with the improvements embodied therein.

Fig. 2. is a transversal 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3. is a plan view in section on the line 3-3 of Fi 1.

The hull of tie submarine vessel is represented at 1, compartment 2 is the conning tower which is also designed for the entrance section on the line and exit for the entire crew, and is connected 0 partment of the submarine vessel passage 10 and.

with the divers compartment 3 by the door p 4 which is held on the hook 5 when it is opened.

Below, the compartment 2 is the main com- 7, they are both connected by means of the door 8 under which is a ladder 9. The divers compartment 3 is arranged for the operatlons o divers singly; under compartment 3 1s the communicating therewith by means of a hatch door 11. The doors 4, 6, 8 and the hatch door 11 are arranged to swing on hinges 12, and are firmly closed with the aid of screws 13. The passage 10 has a ladder 14, on which the operators go out to the deck of the submarine vessel or to the sea bottom.

15 is a metallic tank for the storage of compressed air supplied by an electric operated compressor 16 in compartment 7.

. From the tank 15 the compressed air goes out through the pipe, 17 into the compartments 2, 3 and into the passage 10, the pres sure of the air being regulated by taps; the com artment v2 by ,the tap 18, compartment 3 by t e tap 19,.the passage 10 by the tap 20.

Manometers 21 arranged in compartments 2 and 3 show the air pressure required to make possible the escape of the entire crew of the vessel under water.-

From the passage 10 the pipe 22 leads to the manometer 23 which shows the pressure of the water in the passage 10. The compartments 2, 3 and 7 are connected with each other by the pipes 24, which have taps 25 which serve for regulating the pressure of the doors 4 and 8 are always open so that it makes possible to use compartments 2 and 3 for any purpose.

The hatch 11 is always solidly closed so that no water can enter the interior of the submarine;

In operating the improved device, when it becomes necessary for one or a few persons to leave the vessel (this depends on the capacity of the divers com artment 3 the divers enter compartment 3 y the lad er 9, open the tap 20, blowing out the passage 10 and then close the tap 20, a manometer 23 showing what pressure is required in comartment 3 so that the water will not enter, when the hatch 11 is opened.

Then on closing door 4, the divers open tap 19 and when the manometer 21 shows the same pressure of the air as manometer 23, close tap 19, open hatch 11 and move down the ladder 14 into the passage 10 leadf ing from the deck of the submarine vessel to the sea bottom.

If it is necessary for the entire crew to leave the vessel at once, they ther in compartment 2 and 3, blow out t e passage 10,

then closing the door 8 open taps 18' and 19 and when manometer 21 shows an e ual pressure of the air as manometer 23, c ose taps 18 and 19, open hatch 11 and the exit for the crew in diving dresses is clear.

Life saving apparatus can be kept on the boat, which when unfastened comes up with the crew, who thus are saved.

If the submarine vessel is in good condition, but owing to some circumstances must be left for some time under water, a part or the entire crew can leave the Vessel and returning afterwards can continue the work of salvage on the vessel.

The entrance back into the body, when it is submerged is performed in the same way, closin the hatch 11 and opening taps 25, the air from compartment 2 and 3 flows through pipes 24 into the compartment 7, and when the pressure of the air is equal everywhere the door is opened without difficulty.

After reentering the vessel it sometimes happens that there is an excessive pressure of air in the inner compartments of the submarine. To remedy this, electrocompressor 16 is started to pump out the excessive amount of the airfrom the compartment back into the tank 15, filling the tank'15 for further operations, and by the same way filtering the air in the submarine vessel.

The embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawings, and set forth in the specification, but it Will be understood that any modification within the scope of the claim may be made in the construction without departing from the principle of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

I claim:

An escape means for submarines, comprising a main hull compartment, an upper conning tower compartment with an'adjacent divers compartment, and an escape passage communicating with the latter by a hatch door, doors for aifording communication between the conning tower compartment and the main and divers compartments, an air tank in the main compartment, an electric air pump for supplying air thereto, an air pipe leading from the tank provided with valved connections to the escape passage and the two upper compartments, a valved connection between the tower and main compartment and air manometers for indicating the air pressure in the upper compartments and the escape passage substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature hereto.

WASSYL ORLOWSKY. 

